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If you are thinking of traveling abroad Children It is not challenging enough, its price may put you off completely.
Make Memories With you Children According to the bargain-hunting travel expert who is also a mother of two, it doesn’t have to break the bank.
Since launching The Travel Mum, former NHS doctor turned Family Travel expert Jane Carr is on a mission to change this narrative and has booked over 50 family budget trips.
Here are his top tips for frugal planning HolidaysExploring the world without breaking the bank and trips the whole family will enjoy…
Be flexible with flights and airports
Carr’s number one advice is to opt for a DIY (do it yourself) vacation rather than an expensive package vacation, and it starts with flights,
“I think flexibility is the biggest thing when it comes to getting the cheapest price. Some.” People “Only think about flying from your nearest airport, but it’s definitely worth looking around,” advises Carr, mother of six-year-old Leo and one-year-old Luca. “We recently saved £1,000 by flying from London to Sardinia instead of Manchester.”
Use comparison websites
Checking comparison sites is always the first step to securing great deals on flights and holiday accommodation.
“I’m always talking about how great Scanner is, it’s unbeatable,” says the 36-year-old. “The Travel Mum website has a DIY trip-builder that uses Scanners for flights and Hotels.com, which we really like for comparing hotels.”
pack light
Traveling abroad can be extremely expensive when adding extra luggage on a flight, so packing light can be a huge money saver.
“Many people don’t realize that even if you have exactly zero luggage on your flight, you can still carry a rucksack that goes under the seat in front,” says Carr. “This also applies to children, so for a family of four you’ll get four rucksacks at no extra cost.
“You can fit a lot of clothes in a small rucksack, especially when kids’ clothes are small. Just make sure everyone wears their largest, heaviest things on the plane.
Use car seats as extra luggage allowance
The mother of two encourages parents to take full advantage of the fact that most airlines, even Ryanair, usually allow families to check a car seat for free, in addition to the normal baggage allowance.
“We usually put the car seat in a car seat bag and then within that bag we put another rucksack with extra things, so it’s almost like a free check-in item,” says Carr.
Book self-catered accommodation
“Having your own kitchen means you can save a whole lot of money on eating out,” says Carr. “We usually always make breakfast and dinner ourselves, and then we go out for lunch, because lunch menus are much cheaper than dinner menus. We also look for lunch places that offer promotions and kid-sized meals.”
Consider leisure parks
“I think UK holiday parks are really underrated,” says Carr. “I went to Butlins for the first time last week and had a great time. We paid £89 for four nights for all of us, and it didn’t cost us too much when we got there as it included a big playground, a swimming pool and all the fairground rides.”
Prioritize free activities over paid attractions
“We don’t indulge in too many paid attractions because you can spend a lot of money,” says Carr. “There are a lot of free things you can do as a family, like go to the beach, museums, pool days, playgrounds, picnics, and visit local markets.”
Check out the last minute deals section on holiday destinations
“We really like TUI because it has a really good section of last minute deals,” Carr shared. “This will probably be your best bet for a reliable package holiday with good value.”
collect reward points
“Be smart about where you book and spend your money in everyday life, because there’s a lot you can do with rewards points,” says Carr. “We collect Avios points [a global reward currency you can spend on flights, hotels, car hire and more] With our credit cards and they actually build.
“You can use them to get upgraded to either a first-class or business-class flight, or to get a full set of family flights somewhere each year. We also book a lot of hotels with Hotels.com and collect OneKeyCash that you can use to book other hotels.”
pay in installments
“Work out how much you need to save each month and set aside for the holidays,” Carr advises. “A lot of package providers will let you pay in installments which makes it easier to budget.”
Take toys and games with you when you go out
“There are a lot of little things your kids will notice and ask for, so be prepared,” says Carr. “For example, they’ll probably want to buy a £20 bubble blower at the theme park, so make sure you take a cheap bubble wand with you and say you already have one, because the kids will just want everything.”